DECONTAMINATION: POINT OF USE PREPARATION &

TRANSPORT

CHAPTE

R 8

OBJECTIVES:As a result of successfully completing this

chapter, readers will be able to:

Review the three priority goals of soiled item transport

Identify the sources of contaminated items

Explain point-of-use preparation procedures

OBJECTIVES: Review basic procedures to transport

soiled items from user areas to the Central Service decontamination area.

Discuss safety guidelines for transporting soiled items to the Central Service decontamination area.

Provide basic sources for education and training information applicable to the transport of contaminated items.

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GOALS OF SOILED ITEM TRANSPORT:

Prepare contaminated items so they will not be damaged after use or before return to the Central Service decontamination area

GOALS OF SOILED ITEM TRANSPORT:

To transport soiled items without cross-contaminating the environment between point-of-use and the decontamination area

GOALS OF SOILED ITEM TRANSPORT:

To assure that all individuals who may come in contact with contaminated items

remain safe during the transport process

SOURCES OF CONTAMINATED ITEMS:

Surgery (largest volume)Labor and DeliveryEmergency ServicesCardiac Catherization LabEndoscopy…any patient care and treatment area.

METHODS OF TRANSPORT

Lifts, elevators, or dumbwaiters dedicated to soiled item transport

Covered Transport Carts

Hand delivery by employees of the user department

USER DEPARTMENTS

Should have dedicated holding areas to hold items until they are picked up by Central Service staff

Those areas should be marked with Biohazard Signs

INSTRUMENT DECONTAMINATION BEGINS AT POINT OF USE

REASONS FOR POINT-OF-USE PREPARATION

Point-of-use preparation helps prolong instrument life

If soil is allowed to dry on instruments it is much more difficult to remove

POINT-OF-USE GUIDELINES

• Remove Gross Soil.• Follow manufacturer’s

instructions for point of use cleaning.

• Keep soiled instruments moist.• Remove disposable components

and dispose of properly.• Put sharps in sharps containers,

etc.

GROSS SOIL

Tissue, body fat, blood, and other body substances

POINT-OF-USE GUIDELINES• Separate reusable linen and place in an appropriate

container.• Empty fluids from reusable containers or remove

disposable containers and dispose of according to policy.

• Separate reusable sharps from other instruments.• Keep items together.• Notify Central Service if items need repair, tag them

so they can be removed from the system for refurbishing or repair.

TRANSPORT SOILED ITEMS IN COVERED CONTAINERS OR CARTS

TRANSPORT CARTS

If the same carts are used to transport soiled items to the decontamination area and return clean items to user units, they must be decontaminated between uses

TRANSPORT SAFETY

Consider all used items as contaminated

Wear appropriate PPE if you are going to handle contaminated items. items

Maintain control of transport carts at all times and be careful near doors, elevators, and hallway intersections where accidents may occur

Hallway mirrors can help reduce

“blind spots”

EDUCATIONEveryone who has contact

with contaminated items must understand the

dangers associated with the transport of biohazard

items

CONCLUSIONPoint-of-use instrument preparation requires a partnership

between Central Service and user departments.

Good work practices can protect patients, visitors, and healthcare workers.